AMN
Hundreds of more residents in Australia’s Victoria state were urged to evacuate their properties immediately on Friday after a bushfire that has destroyed several properties and killed livestock continued to threaten rural towns. More than 2,000 people yesterday fled from towns in Victoria’s west after emergency evacuation orders were issued to leave while it was still safe and head east to the nearby regional hub of Ballarat, 95 km west of Melbourne. Authorities said, hundreds of firefighters are battling a massive blaze as fresh evacuation warnings covered 14 rural towns. Roughly 10,000 hectares have been burnt. Stronger than expected winds are spreading fires faster and closer to towns as emergency crews urged residents to take shelter indoors if unable to leave.